Bike Tracks

August 9, 2000 Berlin Layover

Day 223

After having such an interesting tour by bicycle the previous day, I decided to continue my exploration of Berlin on a bike, by myself. I just rode up and down a few streets enjoying the morning smells and getting a feel for the city. I ended up back at the Checkpoint Charlie Museum.

At first I planned on just locking my bike to a utility pole while I went in the museum. While making a postcard purchase, I asked the sales lady if it was safe to leave my bike on the street and she said, “No! Please bring it in here, this area is famous for thieves!” So I gladly strolled my bike into her store. She opened the rear door leading to a lovely courtyard and motioned for me to lock my bike up there. I was so delighted and relieved to have a “safe” place for my bike to rest, now I could enjoy the museum.

The Checkpoint Charlie Museum is an amazing place with remarkable stories of the courageous people who found ways to escape to the west. I was so impressed, I took pictures of the exhibits as follows:

The picture in the middle of the street has an American solder on one side and a Soviet solder on the other.

The first self-built escape aircraft manufactured parts were only a Trabant car motor, tank and wheels. All other parts even the propeller were self made. Escaped August 4 1984

The escape of the decade took two families (8 people) on the night of 9-16-79  up in a hot air balloon.  Up to that time the largest hot air balloon in Europe, 1250 square meters for fabric 28 meters high 20 meters wide floated 12 kilometers over the communist line it took a breathtaking 28 minutes.

The families had no prior ballooning experience.  They merely read research in books, building the balloon in the privacy of a forest.

They had to climb 2000+ meters to go above the searchlights to avoid being captured.

This mini submarine was a revolutionizing invention thanks to an escape. The first mini submarine with internal combustion motor (gas) transports 1 or 2 persons.  On September 9, 1968 it covered a distance of 16 miles from the Baltic Sea coast of GDR to Denmark. Upon arrival a West German firm hired him to develop a new and faster series!

This contraption was used by two men to ride the power lines over the border.  They figured the best time to escape would be when it was raining.  That way the guards would not be likely to look up.  They choose a rainy night during an electrical storm. Their bravery worked, they successfully escaped.

This satirical photo was taken from actual artwork on “The Wall”.  It depicts Soviet Premier Brezshnev locked in a mouth to mouth kiss with East German leader Erich Honecker, over the caption “my god, help me to survive this deadly love.”

August 8, 2000 Berlin Layover

Day 222

Berlin is certainly a city with a diverse history, part of which I remember occurring in my lifetime. So when we arrived, I immediately signed up to do the Berlin Bike Tour. It turned out to be an “insider tour” taking us to places the tour buses don’t go. Walter, one of the Odyssey riders arranged for the guide to come to our hostel to start the tour. It was a very convenient way to do it, so I didn’t have to think about where I was going.

We rode our own bikes and followed Andrew the Australian tour guide down the bike paths and sometimes over some slightly rugged mountain bike terrain. Of course being an Odyssey rider helped, because Odyssey riders can do anything!

The tour took us by the entrance to Hitler’s bunker, a site which is now used as a playground. It is an unmarked spot on the terrain, but the cats like it, it’s filled with sand.

We also saw what is left of the Berlin wall. I was not surprised to learn that when the wall came down, the locals had to rebuild it so I and the millions of other tourists could see it as it was. The wall was a demonstrative reaction of the communists after a meeting between President Kennedy and Premier Khrushchev in 1961 that went bad. After that meeting the wall was built surrounding West Berlin keeping the East Berliners away from freedom in the West.

We peddled by Checkpoint Charlie, the former American sector where the people had to pass through to get back and forth between East and West Berlin. I was rather moved to actually be on the road that was the site of so much tension between America and Russia. I made a mental note to return later when I could spend some time exploring the area.

As part of Germany’s descent into Nazism, the students and professors at Humboldt University burned the books in the square.

In that location today, is a monument, it is an eerie view down into a room with empty bookshelves. The ghostlike effect is especially striking when viewed at night. The bookshelves when full would hold 10,000 books, the amount the students burned.

Here is a section of the wall that is still standing. It is covered with graffiti images, some of them are very interesting art work. Al felt really sad to see the wall. He could feel the pain of so many people who were separated from their loved ones and freedom.

On a lighter side, I loved the Velo Taxi’s in Berlin. They are powered by a single cyclist and are seen all over the city. It is assuring to know that as a former Odyssey rider, I can have a new career….velo taxi driver!

Gol to Hokksund (I took the train to Oslo)

Day 199

The morning mist hung below the mountain peaks. It was an interesting view, with mountains in every direction. The day before I thought I was ready to ride, but my mind was still not ready.

Jane and I went back to the train station and boarded the train for Oslo. Unlike the train the day before, this train was a short one and very crowded. We got our bikes on board and sat together in seats, but got bumped. Until then we had not realized the tickets issued had seat assignments on them. We were sitting in someone else’s seat! He was very nice about it and explained we were in the wrong seat and the wrong car. He showed us where on the ticket to look for our seat assignments.

We gathered up our stuff and headed back to the END of the train. It was difficult navigating down the isles with all my junk. I was actually getting sea sick from the motion of the train as it wound up the mountainside and I walked. The train was loaded with American kids on a tour plus all the locals. I don’t think there were extra seats on the train to be had at all.

The ride took about 3 hours to get to Oslo. Our plan was to go stay at the hostel were Odyssey was to end up in another day. We arrived at the train station, found the tourist info place and paid their small fee to book rooms for us. It was so easy.

Within a few minutes Jane and I were in our new digs. It was a nice clean room with just enough space for the two of us, plus it had an added special feature, a telephone! Hooray! Jane needed to call her beau so I got lost on the streets of Oslo!

I wondered about, without a destination or a purpose other than to find food. I trusted my intuiation and found a nice walking mall. I shopped for awhile, thinking it was about time Jane should be done. On the way back I stopped at a grocery store for fruit and munchies. I figured Jane and I could share a snack and then sleep.

My plan didn’t quite work out that way. On the way back, Fred grabbed my arm and said, “follow me!” I obediently followed him, along with his collection of about 16 other riders. Fred had organized a tour with a professional tour leader friend of his. We were going on a personal tour of Oslo! I was delighted, but bothered by the fact I had no way to reach Jane and let her know what I was doing.

Our impromptu group boarded a trolley that was taking us to the famous Vigeland Sculpture Park, Oslo’s largest public park. The artist Gustav Vigeland created some 200 sculptures in granite, bronze and wrought iron. The figures are master pieces in life expression. Our guide told us the story of the artist and common perceptions about his work. I enjoyed seeing it immensely.

The statues are all naked. Had Vigeland dressed them, they would have been locked in a period by their clothing. Being naked the only time that shows on them would be the hairdos. The expressions are timeless.

Sogndal to Gol

Day 198 (I’m still off route!)

My ears are finally back to normal. It has been a total of 3 weeks I have been suffering with it. I am glad to feel good again.

Jane McLane and I took the most remarkable train ride over the mountains from Bergen to Gol today. Initially the trained passed through so many tunnels. I felt as though we were in the dark, more than we were in the daylight. When we would finally emerge from a tunnel the scenery was spectacular. Understandably this train route is very popular with tourists. I even saw a big old moose scurry away from the train as we passed.

When we made our reservations for the train, we also reserved space for our bikes and received tickets for them. We were informed by the ticket person that only 6 bikes were allowed on each train. When we were riding the train, at each stop more passengers with bikes would get on. After a awhile the luggage car was so stuffed full of bikes, there must have been 20 bikes. The higher we climbed, the more bikes collected in the car. Imagine that!

At one point Jane and I were concerned that our bikes would be buried underneath all the others. By the time we passed over the highest point, the bikes started to disappear. It wasn’t long before the only bikes in the baggage car were ours.

We got off at Gol (pronounced ghoul). It had been 3 days since we were with the Odyssey group. It had been a great, relaxing 3 days. Now we needed to find where Odyssey was camping tonight. I had no clue.

Jane figured we could go to the Tourist Information booth and ask them. We found the place, but it was closed. There were two taxi drivers sitting in front so I asked them. He only spoke enough English to be able to point and tell me “go this way a campground at 3 kilometers or go that way a campground at 1 kilometer, 2 kilometer, 3 kilometer etc…

I kept telling Jane all we needed to do is hang out for awhile. I have always had good luck in seeing another rider in town. They would have a DRG and be able to tell us where the camp was. But at this point there was no one around. It was almost noon.

We decided to head to the camp on the other side of town. No sooner did we start out when we saw Denis, he told us where the camp was. It was exactly where the taxi driver had told us to go. Success!

Forde to Sogndal (I’m still off route)

Day 197

Still in Bergen, Jane and I decided to take a walking tour of the historic district. The area has a very old and interesting history, dating back 900 years to medieval times. In one of Bergen’s many museums we were able to see the remains of wooden buildings, unearthed from an archeological dig in the 1970’s. The buildings were housed in the museums, giving us a very good insight as to how it looked, way back when.

Bergen became a port of great importance in the 13th century when it became a link in the Hanseatic League (a chain of European and Baltic cities with shared trading agreements). We toured the tenements, buildings where apprentice traders lived and learned the trading trade. Some of the buildings standing today are were replacements of originals, having been rebuilt in the 1700’s after being destroyed by fire.

Highlighted in the tour were the living quarters and lifestyle of the apprentices. They came as young boys aged 15 to Bergen, from the lower classes families of Germany. In Bergen they worked in an all male society for 6 years, until they passed the exam and became a journeyman. Their life was hard, long hours filled with work in cold, dark rooms. They were fed twice a day in a large assembly room, the only heated area in the community. If they disobeyed they were pointed out and their name was written on a blackboard for annual discipline.

As newbies they were tested by a form of hazing that bordered on downright cruelty. One form was called the smoke game. They were hung from a pole in the kitchen, while a smoky fire was built underneath. As the smoke filled the rooms, they were required to answer questions, keeping their mouths open. Naturally this caused difficulty in breathing and probably resulted in a lot of coughing. It was an awful form of discipline. These games were played with the apprentices on a scheduled basis, guess it was a character building exercise!

At night the apprentices slept, two to a berth in a very small area, with the doors shut. This routine kept them in line and warm. The house manager would supervise, making sure they were not getting out at night to run around the town. The beds were similar to cabinets one on top of the other. The house manager would shut the door from the outside, those inside could not reopen it. Claustrophobia was a way of life. I can’t help but think of the awful smell, sleeping two to a bed with no ventilation!

It was illegal for any apprentice, journeyman or manager to socialize with the local woman. However the street behind the tenements was well known for being and area of prostitution. When a young man was “caught in fatherhood,” he was required to pay for a barrel of beer for all his housemates. It was punishment to the man in that the cost was expensive. The rule helped the manager get leads from the housemates as to who was running around!

The wooden houses at Brygan (the harbor) stand, today, at all tilted, bowing away from the water. This happened in 1944 when a German arsenal ship docked in the harbor blew up. It destroyed all the buildings close by, the ones further away now slope away from the blast. The Norwegians still believe it was sabotage as retaliation for there part in the resistance.

The tour guide was a young women, Camilia who did an excellent job of fielding questions with pose and thoughtfulness. I would recommend this walking tour as a must when visiting Bergen.

Risnes to Forde

Day 196 (I’m still off route)

I’m still off route today, in Bergen. We took a bus up to the Montana Hostel to bring our bikes down to town. When we got there, we discovered 3 of the bikes were locked together and Lynne had the key. Lynne was out taking another cruise. Bummer! My bike had not gotten locked with theirs, so I was able to retrieve it.

I rode the whole 6 kilometers to town, peddling downhill all the way. It was the first time I’ve been on my bike since they took them away from us in Inverness, Scotland a week ago. It felt so good, had I been dressed warmer, I would have stayed out longer.

The sun is shining but it is chilly here. Locals seem to think it is warm, I see shirtless men on the pleasure boats, but I have goose bumps! Guess you have to live here to think it is warm, everything is relative.

Jane and I decided we are going to leave in two days on Sunday. We walked over to the railroad station to purchase tickets, discovering we were too late to take the mid-morning train. Actually we could take it, but it was already full with bicycles. They allow only 6 bikes per train! We did manage to get our bikes on the very early train, but it was not our first choice!

The book store puts these chairs outside, with books to read. The books are chained to the chairs.

Russia, back on the schedule!

Originally Russia was part of the itinerary TK&A published for Odyssey 2000. Since then, they have withdrawn Russia as a country the group is going to visit. No concrete reason was given, just that it is too difficult to get 250 + people into, therefore, it is cut. The “contract” TK&A had us sign prior to leaving gave them the right to withdraw any country due to “political reasons”. Guess that includes Russia. (?)

Many riders are very upset about this exclusion. Tim has calmed the group telling them they will “do their best” to get us into Russia, even if it means giving us an extra day to explore it on our own.

In London, Denise and a few other riders decided to take matters into their own hands. They visited the Russian Embassy to see exactly what it requires to obtain a visa and what we need to do. We were told the longer we wait, the more expensive it is.

Tim’s plan to let us buy visas in Helsinki would be very expensive, in the neighborhood of $500. For a 1 or 2 day trip, that is ridiculous! Most people will not want to do that.

Instead, Denise passed out a sign up sheet to see how many would be interested in an organized 3 day tour of St. Petersburg. The response was an over-whelming “maybe”, depending on the cost. Based on that, Denise went ahead and got the details for us.

She was told that a group of 40 people would be the best number. We could fit comfortably into a tour bus and also not swamp the embassy with too many requests for visas. So that is the plan.

I was one of the “maybes” on her list. After learning the facts and the risks and with Larry’s encouragement, I decided to go for it. I will probably never get another chance to go to Russia and certainly not for the small cost now, being that I’m so close. So I accepted the opportunity and asked to be included on the tour.

We will not know if we can go for sure until the Visas are approved. Denise will be visiting the Russian Embassy in Oslo, Norway this coming week. Hopefully they will be able to get the job done.

There are so many rules associated with the trip. As a matter of interest, I will share what we are doing.

Going “Off Route” to Russia Takes Organization from a Rider (not the leader)

July 19, 2000

After Denise went to so much trouble to organize the trip, TK&A finally came through with a Russia Option. For an additional fee, riders can go into Russia on a 1, 2 or 3 day tour. The price is less than what Denise’s trip cost, but it also doesn’t include as much. All the people who couldn’t fit on Denise’s trip signed up for it. There will be about 80 people going on the TK&A trip.

Personally I think it stinks that we have to spend money above and beyond the expense we have already paid for the trip. TK&A advertised we were going to Russia. Nothing was ever said about it being an “additional charge” to go. There is even a T-Shirt with Russia on it. So much for professional representation. I dare say TK&A will be receiving a lot of bills for the expense they were supposed to provide.

August 3, 2000

Day 216

It was a long train ride. We sat 6 to a compartment, at first there were 5 Odyssey riders then 2 hours into the ride a 6th person, a real Russian joined us. Al the Alien sat comfortably up in the luggage rack.

We stopped twice for customs. A bunch of customs officers got on, collected our passports in foot high piles. They then went through the train, compartment by compartment making us all get out while they searched the compartment. Al sat quietly up above and was not noticed by the female officer. They went away for awhile than came back returned our passports and visas stamped. The train stopped and they all got off.

From the train it was obvious when we crossed the border into Russia. The beautiful, well kept Finnish homes disappeared and were replaced by unkempt dwellings suffering from differed maintenance. From whole country looks poor. The terrain is similar to Finland’s flattish land with tall evergreen trees. Much of the forest has been burnt, but not cleaned out. Even that looks poor. There were a few lovely settings by water and rivers. I could see men out fishing.

The highlight of the ride was our discussion with Andrei, the young Russian. He was just returning from a seasonal job in Finland were he had been picking strawberries and raspberries. He was a very handsome young man, in his early 20’s I would guess. He was educated, intelligent and spoke remarkably good English.

We talked about his country and the changes it is going through. He said all males have to serve in the military, unless they are in school or pay a doctor to write a note that they are too sick to serve. Once we got into Russia the money changers came down the hallway. They took your money and gave rubles. They worked off a cart that looked like a coffee cart. It was very strange. Rubles were worth about 26.20 to the U.S. dollar. I exchanged my Finnish Marks for Rubles, I felt rich!

Our hotel is supposed to be a first class tourist hotel. From the outside at night it looked very good, but this morning in the sunshine it didn’t look so good. The room was 1970 vintage and had not been updated since then. The bathroom plumbing and workmanship was very poor. Nothing fit properly, there were huge gaps in the wall where the pipes went through Construction here does not give the impression of pride in craftsmen ship. Or at least the newer buildings.

Our view out the window was of a huge complex that was meant to be part of the hotel, but was never finished. Our guide said it had been abandoned 8 or 9 years ago. It gave off very spooky effect, imagine a convention type hotel sitting abandoned for a decade, it was a mess.

My first night in Russia was not to be one of peaceful rest. I couldn’t get to sleep and was tortured all night by buzzing and biting of the mosquitoes we had inadvertently let into our room. Upon arrival our hotel room was hot and stuffy. I immediately opened the windows, casually remarking that there were no screens.

My first concern was one of security, since we were on the 2nd floor, that was really the 4th floor (in the US), I looked to be sure there was not a balcony that someone could walk across and climb in the window. It was a long way down and unless some one was like Tom Cruise in “Mission Impossible” and could scale a cliff wall, we were pretty safe. That is safe from robbers, rapists and thieves, but not from the lousy mosquitoes!

The first time I flipped the light switch back on to swat a mosquito, I noticed dozens of dead mosquito carcasses squashed into the wallpaper. Yes, it was disgusting! I added a few more, closed the window and tried to go back to sleep.

I couldn’t sleep. I hated the room, the ghostlike vacant hotel rooms across the way, the ugly bathroom, the scratchy sheets and the little, lead pillow that wouldn’t let me poof it up. It was hot there were more mosquitoes and the only way I could protect myself from them was to cover up with the thick wool, filled duvet.

Sleep was not in my future, I kept switching the light on trying see the little bastards so I could send more of them “to the wall” but they were hard to find. I worried at first about waking Anita but then remembered how she can sleep on demand. Years in medical school left her with this ability. In all my ranting, banging, switching on and off the light, she never once stirred!

In the early morning hours I finally fell asleep from exhaustion. By then the mosquitoes must have drowned in my blood because I was covered with bites and they were nowhere to be found. Anita woke looking refreshed and lovely. I looked like I’d been out drinking all night, my eyes were puffy and creased and I was really tired.

Sleeping until the last possible minute, I woke with barely enough time to shower and get down to breakfast before we boarded the bus for the all day tour. I was glad to have everything planned out for me this day. I didn’t want to have to do much thinking.

The first stop on the tour was at a bridge over the Neva River. The waterfront views were excellent, we could see the Winter Palace and it’s West Wing, which is also known as the Hermitage. It was a beautiful day, just perfect for taking a few pictures. We were allowed a few minutes to stroll around and check out the navigation beacons, known as the Rostral Columns.

We were approached by a multitude of street vendors, I felt like I was in Morocco! The vendors are very aggressive. From our first photo stop until the last, we were exposed to them, selling everything postcards, army hats, books, scarves, stacking dolls, stamp books, coins, etc.

Capitalism has arrived.
They quote all prices here in US dollars, but only accept rubles in stores. On the street they want the US dollar and almost insist on it. Things are rather cheap, or at least after Scandinavia they seem that way.

The Hermitage is huge beyond imagination. We spent 2 and a half hours on tour there and barely touched the place. It is a combination of Paris’s Louvre and Versailles! The inside is maintained but outside has a feeling that the brooms in Russia are in short supply. Even the grass is not tended too.

If one wants to photograph or video the arts, you must buy a permit. Even with the permit you are not allowed to use the flash. Each room has an “angry women” who enforces the rules. I must admit, I didn’t buy a permit, but I did snap a few pictures, even a couple with flash, by accident. Guess I was risking a trip to Siberia!

The collection of art is amazing. I have read the collection of objects numbers 2,6 million pieces. Most are not even displayed. The ones that are displayed are not in a rather casual manner. For instance the French impressionist display was in a room with florescent lights. Of course most of the artwork is so magnificent in it’s own right, it would stand out no matter how it is displayed.

That evening we were dropped off at the hotel with 35 minutes left before we were picked up to go to the ballet. I didn’t need much time to brush my teeth and jump into my “little black dress” accessorized with my delicate bike sandals. I was a true Odyssey fashion plate tonight! The ballet house is most ornamented. The seats are wooden chairs decorated in blue velvet. Gold relief surrounds the theater from top to bottom. The ceiling is painted with angels encircling a fabulous crystal chandelier. The curtain is made of a very ornate blue velvet with silver embroidery. If you ask me, I would Napoleon’s sister decorated this place!

It was my very first time at the ballet and the show was extraordinary. I can’t tell you the name of it, because it was in Russian! The plot was very clear, some guy was engaged to a lovely girl, but falls in love with a dancing nymph (a fairylike ballerina), he leaves his finance to chase the nymph, but a witch gets jealous and casts a spell on the nymph, she dies and the guy dies of a broken heart. The finance finds another guy. End of story.

Of course I am making light of a very serious show, that was so beautiful and graceful. I truly did enjoy it, but not as much as some guy in the front of the theater. He amused us all by standing up and shouting “bravo” every 5 seconds after the show was over. He must have shouted “bravo” 40 times. I wonder if he was the nymph dancer’s daddy? Or, never mind, I won’t go there…

The main busy street in St. Petersburg is called Nevskij Prospect. Reading about this street my expectation was to see a street similar to the Avenue des Champ Elysses in Paris or Los Ramblas in Barcelona. It was not. It was filled with historic centuries buildings and tons of people, but strangely absent were the scores of sidewalk cafes, retail shops and laughter. The street was under going major renovation in preparation for it’s tri-centennial in a few years. Walking down this busy street required all my attention, I didn’t want to accidentally fall into one of the many huge gaps, some as deep as I am tall. Accident prevention in Russia is a mere red ribbon, separating me from bruises and broken bones. In the US, this street would be the origination site for lawsuits.

In the subway the attendants were not helpful in the least. They didn’t speak English and they didn’t want us wasting their time. When we finally realized it was a one price ride to where ever, we knew she was just asking how many tokens. I told her and she pitched them into the tray. No charm school lost on this lady!

The men in the subway were a different story. The subway was very crowded. As common practice all over the world, persons standing still, stand to the right, while persons moving do so on the left. Dr. Anita quickly decided to move down the escalator, leaving me behind, then just as quickly she stopped and tucked back in the “stand still” lane. I went to follow her, but realized she changed her mind.

In the mean time two gentlemen thought I needed to get in the walking lane. They were so polite and would not move until I got in front of them At first I tried to explain to them I changed my mind, not knowing Russian I wasn’t very successful in expressing myself. I gave in and got in the lane in front of them only moving up a few people to were Anita stood. We found on several occasions men willing to help offer direction.

We made directional matters worst because we had in English tourist map as opposed to a Russian one. It took awhile to figure out why everyone looked so perplexed. They couldn’t read our map!

We ended up eating at a sidewalk cafe and later having a drink inside the bar. The piano player was very good, so we stayed for quite awhile. When it was time to go, we thought we would walk back to the hotel, since the distance wasn’t that far, but it was 2 a.m. When we walked out onto the street, it was very, very dark. At first I thought there had been a power failure, then I realized there were no street lights. All of a sudden walking to hotel didn’t seem like a very good idea.

We three piled into a cab. On the way home I noticed the bridges were up, then I remembered something the tour guide had told us. At 2 a.m. until 5 a.m. they open the bridges for the big ships to pass through. Since our hotel was on the other side we had to drive forever to go around to a bridge that was not up. The tour guide told us that is was a common excuse to use when one came home very early in the morning. “Sorry honey, the bridges were all up, I had to wait.”

I saw a clever T-shirt. The front had the “golden arches” imprinted with “McLenin” the back side said, “The parties over!” with a hammer and sickle on it! Very cute, but a poor quality cloth.

The Russians have a great sense of humor and they enjoy laughing at themselves. Our tour guide was full of wonderful Russian insight and sayings. She was able to help me understand the people in a more personal way. She said in Russia a pessimist is the one who goes around complaining about how bad everything is. The optimist comes along and says, “oh, no things are going to get very worse!”

My personal favorite saying was the one regarding things being relative. It goes like this, “if you have 3 hairs on your head it’s not enough, if you have three hairs in your bowl of soup it’s too much!”

All my life I have heard the messages that the Russians are communists and are our enemy. Enemies are bad, hate and fear the Russians. Now I go to Russia, experience the country, it’s history and the people. I realize the people are not the government the people have just tolerated and lived through the government. They are not to be judged via the politics of the time, no more than I as an American should be judged by American politics.

I feel empathy for the Russian people. They have a lot of catching up to do. The country’s infrastructure has failed the people and they will be paying for that failure for a long time.

Day 2 in St. Petersburg: Capitalism is alive and well in Russia. We found this to be true when we were storing our stuff in a locker at the train station. Down in this dreary basement location were the normal rows of temporary lockers to help out over burdened travelers. Anita and I proudly located them on the day we had to leave.

While Anita set our own personal combination, I watched the local merchants do business from adjacent lockers. These merchants seemed to be the “middle men” for the street salesmen and booth salesmen. Their little cubicle lockers were stuffed with all sorts of items from socks to band aids. When we returned that evening the same folks were there dispensing items to the “end” sellers. There was even a lady trying to sell wind chimes to the locker people, obviously a “factory rep.”

Russian citizens do not pay taxes. On the surface that might seem good, but after looking at the decaying of a great city, it is obvious there is no free lunch. The Russians say, “If you find free cheese, it is in a mousetrap!” St. Petersburg is supposed to be the “jewel” of Russia, this jewel, is rotting from the decay of differed maintenance, it won’t last forever if something doesn’t change.

The buses, trains and trolley cars all have that military, “no nonsense” look. Besides being drab and dull they are not in good condition. The intersections where the trolley car tracks cross are downright dangerous. The road is broken into various levels, with huge pot holes. Considering the drivers are not pedestrian friendly at all it makes crossing the street a real adventure.

In our travels, Anita and I discovered a common interest in open air markets. We happened to find one and wandered on in. Thinking we were “blending” with the locals we browsed the different kiosks, looking at the goods. Fresh produce was in great competition, judging by the multitude of booths present. The many vendors tried to out position themselves with the competition, by polishing the bright red tomatoes, deep purple eggplant and other fruit until it glistened in the sun. I was impressed at how nice they made it look, with so little space and the lack of resources as in power and water.

In the same area next to the outside vendors was a building that housed the “meat department”. This area had a huge staff of butchers and clerks servicing customers. It was almost like the “Safeway” back home, that is with a few exceptions. First you could see the whole animal carcass from which the butcher was cutting. There was no refrigeration, no plastic trays with plastic wrap and no grocery carts. This market was a everyday affair for these folks.

Anita and I talked about the tons of market photos we have taken all over the world. They are all very much alike, yet different where ever we go. We both grabbed for our cameras to record this Russian market experience. We were once again tourists with pointing cameras! So goes our cover!

The Russians as a rule do not like to have their picture taken. I usually try to ask permission prior to snapping, but now when I was asking I got a very distinct “no!” Then they turn their head. I believe many were not proud of what they were doing and in some instances how they were dressed. We conspired to snap a shot of the contrasting cigarette sellers (the older women) and the lovely young girls giving free samples of cigarettes on the side walk. Anita took her camera out and the women immediately turned around to avoid her, but I was on the other side and got the shot. Success! I probably won’t use the photo, but it was good practice for my paparazzi future, should I decide to go that way!

Odyssey riders went in two separate groups to St. Petersburg. My group was the original group that didn’t trust that TK&A would come through with the ‘Russian” option. The main difference was we had a guided bus tour. As it turned out the guided tour protected us. Four folks on the other tour were out touring on their own and were robbed. One lost her passport, it was taken from her backpack. Two lost their wallets to pick pockets and the third lost his entire backpack with camera, etc. Considering 120 of us were in Russia for less than 48 hours, that is a very high statistic!

Of course we all stick out like sore thumbs. We do not look like the locals. ever. I toured with the bus one day, then the second day we just explored on our own. I loved and needed both days. Actually another week in a nicer hotel would have been ok with me too. But as it stands, I am thankful to have had the opportunity to see a small part of Russia. We boarded the train for the return trip to Helsinki after rescuing our stuff from the locker and purchasing a few “drinks” for the road. I was happy to learn our return train was a Finnish train. There is a world of difference between the two and I was ready to relax.

Al the Alien and I had several tense moments when the Russian border guards came on the train checking passports. They walked down the aisle, collecting the documents. A female guard looked up at the rack where Al was sitting. She poked her partner and they both laughed. I think they didn’t think Al was real. They just walked on, continuing their job. Whew!

The next tense moment came when the Finnish Customs officials boarded, looking for taxable goods and contraband. They walked the aisles quizzing people if they had anything to declare. Occasionally, they would point out a parcel and ask who it belonged to. Then the owner would claim it and have to open it for the officials. When this procedure got to Al, the guard pointed at him. At first he smiled, then he consulted with the other official, once again, they thought Al was nothing but a toy. Whew! We made it, we smuggled Al in and out of Russia without a passport or a Visa. Al, you are amazing. Nice going guy!

Dr. Rod (aka Wolfman) was told by the Russian Immigration guards that they were going to shave him, so they could tell if it was really him under that beard. Then the third guard said, “No, I have tweezers here, we will just pull the hair out, one by one!” Everyone roared with laughter. It didn’t happen though, Rod the wolfman still has is hair. Sorry Mom Lynda, he’s not going to cut it….yet. Don’t worry, we still have China to get into!

Bergen, Norway Flight

Day 194

We were very lucky our schedule was changed from a ferry to Bergen to a flight. TK&A staff took the ferry from New Castle, Scotland to Bergen as did all the folks with rental cars. The North Sea was not kind to them. Larry and Joan reported being sea sick for 13 hours on board the ship while it heaved up and down. They were all green

My personal experience was very relaxing. My flight was the second and later one, deliberately scheduled that was so I could take advance of sleeping in. I was the only person in the cafeteria having breakfast that morning, it was that late! The bus to the airport took us on a mini tour of Aberdeen, purposely arriving at the airport at a time when none of the other buses were there. It was nice to have only a short wait in line for a seat. (Is somebody learning how to control the crowd?)

A few other people on the first flight goofed up and were brought back to the University when they arrived at the airport without their passports. We haven’t had to show passports in the European countries, but now entering Norway it is once again needed. One lady, who shall remain nameless, actually boarded the wrong plane! Lucky for her, she discovered it in time.

On a more exciting note, some one walked away from their baggage at the Aberdeen Airport. Security noticed the lonely bag and put the entire airport on emergency notice. Wow, they sure get strict these days. It is really too bad we have to worry about such things.

Tim Kneeland got on our bus to be sure we all had our passports. He said all these goof ups cost them about 5 hours of work that morning. Tim must feel he is in the adult day care business.

The flight was short and sweet, only 55 minutes. From the comfort of the plane cabin, I got to see a few Oil platforms in the North Sea. That’s about as close as I’ll ever get or want to get to one. In Bergen, I did notice a huge fleet of very large helicopters, all used for supporting the oil business in the sea.

My biggest problem, my ears did OK on the flight. Linda and Charmaigne (pharmacist and physician) suggested I take a decongestant prior to boarding. I did get a lot of crackling, but no pain to speak of. I think this last round of antibiotics are working. Hoo Ray!

I am in Norway, country 26 this year. It is raining and about 48 degrees.

We were taken high up on a hill to the Montana Hostel in Bergen and given assigned rooms. I am given an assignment with 3 other gals, Ramona, Denise and Marguerita. The hostel is large having 255 rooms accommodating 4 to 5 persons in each room. The best part of the hostel were the two very large community rooms, one for smoking and the other non smoking. We filled up the non smoking immediately.

The view from the Montana hostel is terrific. The following morning when the sun actually shone, I snapped a great picture of the harbor and surrounding mountains.

Norway reminds me of Colorado. All one needs to do is imagine Colorado with the temperature turned down, filled with water so the mountains jut right up, sprinkle a few fishing villages here and there, and you’ve got Norway! Oh yes, everyone will have to speak Norse and have blond hair!

Bergen to RisnesDay 195

I feel pretty good today and would like to ride, but I have four days left of antibiotics. After speaking with “my doctor”, we agreed that I should not ride until I am completely done with the medication, so I don’t have another setback. Instead of staying on route, riding the punitive “sick/sag wagon,” I hooked up with Lynne, Shirl and Jane.

We have to check out of the Montana Hostel because believe it or not the entire place is full tonight. They did give us permission to leave our bikes there, because we can return tomorrow night. Off to town we go, lugging packs and panniers onto the bus. First shock, the bus fare is 25 krona (almost $5!). The reality of Scandinavian cost of living is starting to sink in.

The best way to find a room is to go to the Information center, which we did. It was late morning and the place was absolutely packed. We had to take a number for service and wait. I am continually amazed at how many people are traveling. Everywhere you go there a tourists!

We were looking for “cheap” lodging, the clerk referred us to the YMCA, which was conveniently located across the street. She tried to telephone for us, but they weren’t answering, we decided to walk over. We got there only to discover it was closed between 10:30 and 3:30, that answers the question why they didn’t respond to our telephone call.

Back to the Information bureau we went, this time Jane had found an ad for a place that fit our budget (sort of). The clerk called for us and we had a room. It was noon already.

Our accommodations turned out to be part of the “backpackers” network. We shared a room with 2 bunk beds and 4 locker type closets. The bath, toilet and kitchen were down the hall. The place was spotlessly clean and well kept. We were required to rent sheets and towels for an extra fee, unless we had our own.

For this Spartan room, we paid altogether $100! Split 4 ways it wasn’t bad, but I wonder what a real nice room costs at the Marriott? Just the same, I was delighted to find the place because it was located right downtown in the middle of everything.

We split up, agreeing to meet at 3:15 for our “White Lady” boat tour of the fjords. In the meantime I was anxious to explore the fish market and surrounding stores.

The fish market was so interesting, not only is there every kind of seafood imaginable, but you could purchase sweaters and ugly/cute trolls. The fish vendors had caviar, shrimp, crab, lobster and all kinds of big ugly fish I’ve never heard of before. They also made sandwiches on loaves of French-type bread for on the street consumption.

I love Norwegian knit designs, so when I found store after store of wonderful sweaters, I was delighted. The prices were good, but they weren’t exactly giving them away. After awhile the thrill wore off and I managed to make it through the day without buying a sweater. I still have time left…6 more days in Norway.

We met at the docks to board the “White Lady” for a 4 hour tour. I had the maddening tune of “Gilligan’s Island” running through my head, but I couldn’t remember the words, neither could anyone else! It is a good thing otherwise I’d still be singing it. The “White Lady” is a double-decker boat, enclosed on the lower level and open on top. We all opted for the open section, delighted at the sight of complimentary blankets to wrap around us. It was obvious that we were going to need them.

The Norwegian coast is beautiful with rugged green mountains everywhere. Once we left the Bergen area, it became very rural. Every now and then we would pass a lonely home, the folks would always come out to wave to us. Some waved so ferociously, I swear they were getting paid to do so. Finally; I figured out these are vacation homes. The folks inside were being friendly because they only had to do it for a week or so. I can’t imagine someone living there full time waving to the boats like that everyday!

I learned that in Norway the fishing industry is very big, Norway produces 1/2 the world’s salmon. All along the coast we saw fish farms where they were “growing” salmon. They were easy to spot, because there was a large concentration of sea gulls just above. The salmon made the water looking as though it was boiling, they kept jumping up giving the impression of bubbling water.

The boat took us through several fjords, finger narrow thin strips of water where it looked difficult for the ship to pass. The land jutted out from the water almost straight up, like a wall. We saw and heard several thundering waterfalls. The views are majestic.

The harbor in Bergen is a popular Port of Call for the Ocean Liners cruising the North Sea. We saw three huge cruise ships docked for the afternoon. No doubt the passengers we all out buying sweaters for the cold nights at sea. The ships looked very comfortable and inviting. Maybe when I’m too old to ride a bicycle, I’ll take a cruise!

We stopped by the grocery store to pick up pasta, bread and drink. By doing this our dinner came out to be a fraction of what it would have cost eating out. We were happy to have the use of the kitchen, it had been a long time since any of us had cooked!

After dinner was cleaned up, I went out to look for a telephone. In town this was the night the stores stayed open until 2 a.m! The downtown area was packed with bargain hunters and people out enjoying the evening sun. Yes, sun. When I tucked into bed at 11:30 that night, the sun still had not gone down. It is a very strange feeling to have so much daylight.

One thing I don’t understand, if there is so much sunshine, how come it is so darn cold here?

For the last three weeks in June and a few days in August, we will be touring Scandinavia. We start in Norway, go a little north then east to Sweden, take a fast ferry to Denmark, travel along the coast to Copenhagen, cross over on a ferry again and head through the rural timberlands to Stockholm.

Scandinavia has been a present the I didn’t expect to receive. The countries have been easy to get around and communicate, even though they all speak a different language, everyone it seems speaks English. I am consistently amazed at how they switch from one language to another. All I need to do is say “hello!” Of course their English is spoken with a British accent.

Finland is not officially a Scandinavian country, but for the sake of simplicity, I have placed it here.

If you ever have the opportunity to go to any or all of these marvelous countries, do not hesitate, go! Cycling is a common method of transportation for all ages. Cycle touring is very popular and there are many wonderful touring routes to choose from. I would suggest you do not tour as aggressively as the Odyssey 2000 group. One hundred kilometers a day is more than enough. Take your time and enjoy. Or take the train, it’s wonderful also.

Belfast to Ayr, Scotland

Day 187

We arrived in Cairnryan, Scotland mid-afternoon with still about 50 miles to travel. The weather was overcast, but dry. It was a good feeling to be out of Belfast.

Scotland is clean, well kept and no graffiti in sight. I felt safe to be here and welcome too. Cars were curious, even though they were pointing at Al and laughing. Some even beeped their horns. Guess it’s not normal to see aliens on bikes in Scotland.

The ride to camp was memorable in that the coastline was beautiful. The sky and the sea were the same color, distorting perception into a surrealistic painting.

I know Nessie is waiting for me in Scotland.

I took my time getting to camp on this day. Riding was so pleasurable, I wanted to stretch it out as long as possible. When I finally did get into Ayr, most everyone was already there. I had a good belly laugh when I came into the parking lot of the Cragie Horticultural Centre, at the University of Paisley. Our camping area was set up opposite the archery practice field. There were students shooting with bow and arrows at targets, just beyond the targets were our tents. They were off a safe distance away, but just the same it made me chuckle.

The night before in Belfast, Tim had a meeting for the Odyssey riders. We were given a new schedule and were told that Japan was off the route. Instead we were to have extra days in Australia. The final schedule had us in Australia for 28 days with only 8 days of riding. Nine of those days were camping on the beach at the Great Barrier Reef in Cairns.

I looked at the schedule and said, “YES!” Nine days on the beach sounds fine to me. I didn’t mind giving up Japan for some time off. However, I was the minority. The group was livid. One member stood and accused Tim of “bait and switch” then requested his money back. Those were strong words from this particular rider who has been a staunch supporter of TK&A. His points were good though, he stated the reason he signed up for the trip was to go to the “difficult to get to places”. Those were Russia, Japan, China and Vietnam. He could do the easy English speaking counties anytime.

The meeting was a very difficult one for TK&A who never did give us a solid, logical reason for deleting Japan.

Now we were camping on an archery practice field. I found that rather amusing.

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July 6, 2000 Ayr to Inveraray

Day 188

I woke up with a congested head and the other ear was now hurting. I didn’t feel like riding so I sagged. Most of the morning I slept in the van, feeling even worse than when I woke up. I wonder if the van is leaking carbon monoxide, my head really hurts.

We took a short ferry ride to Dunoon, where Michael dropped us saggers off in a cafe. We had to wait for all the riders to pass through the ferry before we could proceed to end of day. It was a very cold and cloudy day. The wind off the river was spine chilling and I was wearing shorts. Not a good clothing choice. I went window shopping in town and ended up buying a pair of sweat pants. Looks like I might be making good use of them in Scotland.

After waiting for 3 hours all the riders passed through and Pierre came to pick us up. We drove into Inveraray and stopped briefly for a “rest stop”. The town is on a beautiful lake in the hills. All the buildings are black and white. It has a stark kind of beauty about it. Tourists are everywhere.

The campground was about 4 miles from town. It was a nicely done place with a small store, recreation hall and once lonely telephone for all 220 of us!

We were treated to a special ceremony of a Scottish meal, lucky for us they gave us “normal” food, then did a ceremonial presentation of Haggis. The Haggis was in a small amount but I didn’t hear anyone complaining. It is made of sheep’s stomach and testicle and other nasty sounding stuff. The dancing and ceremony was fun.The guy in the kilt recited Burns and cut open the Haggis with his long silver knife. I couldn’t hear him, but he sure looked good.

My favorite part of the night was taking the pictures and showing them to the staff and performers. This gentleman’s wife saw this picture and exclaimed with love in her voice, “that’s MY husband!” I had to ask if it was all right if I kept a picture of her husband on my computer. She was proud to say yes!

July 7, 2000 Inveraray to Fort William

Day 189

I woke up the next morning to an overcast but cool day. The “miggies” were out and bite the daylights out of me while I took down the tent. I couldn’t wait to get on the bike and ride away from them. Miggies are those mini bugs that bite anywhere they can, they get into your nose and hair. I hate bugs!

My ear was still not normal, but I discovered the more Advil I took the better I felt. Hopefully I could continue this treatment until the ear decided to get better. I rode all day. Scotland is so beautiful, even though I only saw the sun come out once or twice I still love this country.

Early in the morning I came around the bend to see a bunch of bikes stopped alongside the road. My heart skipped a beat, thinking it was a wreck. It wasn’t. Everyone was stopped to take pictures of the cows. Highland cattle are a rare breed, and I swear they are the cutest cattle I have ever seen.

This group of cattle was so well groomed, I believe they may have been show cattle. Their bangs were combed and the bull wanted to be petted! He was such a lover!

Fort William is located in the Highlands. It is at the base of the Ben Nevis mountain range, the highest in Britain at 4400 feet. I got off my bike and walked through the town, shopping as I went. They had a terrific selection of shops featuring sporting goods, woolens, tartan everything, liquor and other tourist junk. The bike shop was called “Off Beat Bikes”, I bought a great logo t-shirt there since my other tee is falling apart from too much wear.

The popular items for sale in Scotland are mostly woolen goods. If you have any Scottish blood in your family line, most of the shops can tell you what tartan plaid represents your “clan”. There are so many very beautiful plaids available, each differing in color and design. I choose to designate my favorite plaid of green and black as the “Kraft clan”. It’s not exactly a Scottish name, but the plaid is my favorite, so that works for me!

The not so recent movie “Brave Heart” is still alive and well here in Scotland, or at least on the tee shirts. They are seen everywhere with a picture of Mel Gibson yelling “Freedom!” Then of course there’s the infamous monster of Lock Ness, Nessie. Without Nessie, Scotland would merely be a place to buy Scotch. The legend of Nessie is strong, evidenced by the tourists who feed on it. I never did see Nessie but then I never did take the cruise. Oh well maybe next time. I know she’s out there!

The Queen was in Scotland while we were here. She came in to Knight the famous actor Sean Connery. Sean was getting his knighthood, because of all the work he has done for the dairy industry. (?) I think any man who ages as well as 007 has deserves to be made a knight! Way to go, Sean!

Our campground in Fort William was not a campground but a “football” field, located next to the Leisure Center. The Leisure Center is not to be confused with a retirement home, as it might be back in America, but it is a Health Club, sort of. The Leisure Center is a great facility with a bowling alley, aerobic dance, workout center, bar and pool hall all wrapped into one. We had a nice meal catered that night and again at breakfast. We used the indoor showers and toilet facilities. It was all very pleasant.

The Leisure Center didn’t have enough table and chairs to facilitate all of the Odyssey riders a seat. Wild Bill and Suzi made due with a couple of high chairs at dinner. We do what we must to get by.

July 8, 2000 Fort William to Inverness

Day 190

The camping field was surrounded by mountains, so no wonder it was very cold when I got up. My tent and sleeping bag keep me warm all night, and when I open the zipper to go outside the cold wakes me up fast! I made sure to dress warm today, somehow I knew it wasn’t going to get any better.

After breakfast I discovered my front tire was once again flat. This was the same tire that has been letting me down now for some time. I went to change it, only to realize 2 of my tire levers were broken. I went to borrow a set from Jason, the mechanic. I changed the tire, but didn’t have much confidence in it. I just know there is something hidden in the tire that is causing all these flats. The tire is still in excellent shape, having only been replaced in Washington, D.C. but I may have to pitch it, if I can’t find the problem soon.

Once on the road I was deep in thought, enjoying the scenery and the day. It was cold, but not raining. The countryside is so gorgeous and I missed my first major turn on the DRG. By the time I realized I had passed it, I was a few miles out. The DRG had us criss crossing the main highway today, taking us on the back country roads instead of on the main, more direct route. The terrain was getting more hilly, I knew I was better off sticking to the DRG route in case I had trouble, but I really wanted to follow the main road in, set up my tent and go to sleep as soon as possible. Dreamer I am.

Before long it started raining, stopping in a telephone booth, I put on my full rain gear. It felt good to be warm if not dry.

After about 20 miles I rejoined the riders on route. I had saved 2 miles by using the main highway. Now I had to make a decision to stay with them or continue straight. Considering my lack of proper tools and the unreliable tire, I decided to play it safe, I stayed with the route. It was a good thing, because on the way to checkpoint I got another flat.

I usually don’t like flats anytime or anywhere, but this one was welcome. The last 4 miles to checkpoint was up a back country road with a grade of 13%. YUCK! I made it to 1 mile prior before my tire died. I was glad to be able to hail a ride to checkpoint. From there it was downhill. I found out later at the bike shop, that route was considered to be one of the most difficult in Scotland. (From Fort Augustus take B862 towards Errogie.)

At checkpoint I jumped out of Michael’s van to ask Merlyn if he would let me use his tire levers and if he would help me locate the mystery problem in my tire. He was cozy and dry in his van and said to me, “unless you LIKE riding in the rain, why don’t you just get back in the sag where you were.” Since I couldn’t argue with that, I did.

The ride down the mountain looked fun, but it was really raining hard now. I was semi-glad to be inside the van, but I was soaked to the bone and getting chilled. Considering the condition of my infected ear, this way not a good thing.

Our camp in Inverness was next to the city’s huge Aqua Dome Sports Center. The Center was a wonderful place with indoor swimming for both children and adults. Upstairs was a spa with steam, sauna and Jacuzzi. The other end of the building had banquet facilities to feed us. It was a great place to spend a few days.

We of course we camping adjacent to the track field and next to the caravan camping. It was pouring rain when I got to the locker. My “camping” friends were all ready to buzz off to a nice warm B&B. I was so out of sorts, my bike needed work, my laundry was dirty and I just couldn’t decide whether to go or stay. When I said it was too much trouble to go find a B&B, I meant it, even though Dave and Mary said I was crazy!

Within 15 minutes I had my tent up. Now I decided to get that d@**! tire fixed. I still was short a tire lever so I went to back to Jason to borrow his. He was just coming on duty at 4 p.m. and had just woke up. My timing was very bad. Jason was in a bad mood and basically told me not to worry about fixing it right now, we wouldn’t be needing the bikes for about 4 days. Of course, this was true, but I was anxious to solve the problem now. I asked if I could borrow his tire levels, he then told me “I don’t lend out my tools. That’s how they get broken.” Terrific, this morning he was lending, this afternoon, he’s not. I just love the customer service I get on this trip.

Immediately I went to Merlyn and asked him the same thing. He gave me the same answer. I wonder who trained Jason? So now I’m without help from the guys who signed on to help. I felt so down and angry. I just cried. Enough was enough. I couldn’t hear them and I didn’t have the strength to rip their faces off.

Rod came by saw my condition, ripped the tire off and got his hands dirty doing it, so when he hugged me, he made a point to wipe them on my coat, several times. He made me laugh and realize I’m on this trip because of the people, the riders that is. The others can “go to hell in a hand basket!”

I know someday the mean monster in me is going to come out and rip somebody’s face off.

July 9, 2000 Inverness Layover

Day 190

I woke this morning to the sounds of silence. My ear canals were so swollen, it was worse than before. It was also Sunday and I was afraid I would not make it through the day. Inquiring at the Aqua Dome I learned that right next door was the Royal Scottish Infirmary, and they had an emergency room. I grabbed my helmet, hopped on my bike and went.

In the emergency room, the doctor saw me immediately. He was so young, I found it hard to believe he was actually the doctor! He examined my ears and found both canals to be so infected that he could not see the eardrum. I found it very difficult to hear and understand him, so he drew me a picture. I found him to be very knowledgeable and thorough. He gave me a different prescription of antibiotics and drops and sent me on my way.

The pharmacy did not open until 11 am, so to kill time I rode around town, enjoying the sites. Inverness is another charming tourist town. Even on a Sunday morning before the shops were open, people were about window shopping and attending church. It was an active place.

The rest of the day was spent enjoying the sauna and steam room. When I came out I felt like a wet noodle. This has got to be good for my tired body!

At 6 p.m. we loaded the bikes onto an 18 wheeler to be transported to Bergen, Norway via ferry. My front tire, was flat.

July 10, 2000 Inverness to Aberdeen

Day 191

When taking down the tent today, I discovered a note attached to a set of tire levers. The note read, “I want you to have these. I have never used them, don’t intend too and hope you don’t need to either!” The note was from Gloria! Thanks, friend!

We piled onto four buses to transport the riders to Aberdeen. Al jumped into the bus driver’s seat, causing a great commotion. The bus drivers loved him there, they were laughing and teasing the real bus driver. Al sure gets a lot of attention. Everybody loves him.

In Aberdeen we are staying at the Aberdeen University dorms. Aberdeen is an old University, founded in the 1400’s. It is a beautiful place, built with granite stone, as is the whole city.

It is cold here and the wind blows endlessly. I find it hard to believe it is July!

July 11, 2000 Inverness Layover

Day 191

A day of true rest for me. I slept, I ate, I slept, I ate, I worked on the website.

July 12, 2000 Inverness to Bergen, Norway

Day 192

Our last day in Scotland brings a sadness in my heart. There’s something about this cold, beautiful place that I will miss, it feels like home.

“Haste ye Back” reads the sign as I leave, I will be back! There’s so much more to see.